Learn to play Bridge (World Wide game of cards)

some family members have told me in the past that they might want to learn how to play bridge

wouldn't be fun to get together for an hour one nite and play a little bridge with your siblings ??

i play once a month with some doctors from Tampa (and my Indian friend who took me to Cuba) on the internet and play bridge....but THEY are serious and we play for 2 hours

i am also able to play with my Chinese student who is off to college

and my director plays with her daughter in South Africa often

there are million of people around the World playing bridge on the internet....it is a game the British taught India and China

anyways the first thing about bridge is that you need to know how to play SPADES

in Spades, you have 4 people....each person gets 13 cards (4 X 13 = 52 cards)

in Spades, the person sitting across from you is your "partner"...you two are a TEAM

there are 13 possible "tricks" or "rounds" of cards play

the object of Spades is to Predict how many of those 13 tricks you think your partnership will win

now what usually "wins" a round or trick ??

Aces usually win...and Kings....and sometimes queens (if you are very careful)

the #1 rule in Spades (and Bridge) is that YOU MUST follow the "lead"....whatever card is "led"

so if a person leads a HEART....everyone MUST play a heart....the highest Heart wins the trick

(wow, if you can FOLLOW all that....with words like "trick" and "lead" you are well on your way to learning Spades and Bridge)

BTW  the basketball players at JU all played Spades....so ANYONE can learn how to play spades

i have taught most of the nephews and nieces

now what happens if someone leads a Heart and you have no more Hearts left ?? then you can "Trump" with a Spade (Spades is a "wild suit".....that is why it is called Spades)

the 2 of spades can beat the Ace of Hearts

but be careful....if someone else is also out of Hearts....they can play a higher spade and win

and that is the basics of Spades

try to learn THAT game BEFORE thinking about playing Bridge

if you can not learn how to play Spades....then forget Bridge

and thus ends the FIRST lesson from the Tall Cuban

2011 Christmas letter

2011 Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years

Dear Family and Friends,

Well we really have to start with Dec.18, 2010 when Brandon, Austin and Manny went to Cuba.  (our good friend Steve Kitchens also went with them…”Esteban Cuisina”).  After being away for 50 years (Manny was born in Havana, Cuba in 1955 and his family left in 1961 after the Bay of Pigs fiasco), it was very emotional.  They were able to visit the farm “La Finca” and the sugar mill “El Doloras” and finally the beautiful beach “Varadero”.  It is a trip that they will always remember and a great cigar story to boot.

In January 2011, Austin transferred from UCF in Orlando where he got his AA degree early to UFla in Gainesville.  He was admitted into the Fisher School of Accounting.  We have enjoyed driving to Gainesville for basketball games and football games this fall.

In May, Austin flew to Boston to help Brandon move from Boston to San Diego.  They rented a U-Haul and drove across the country.  There are good Niagara Falls stories and Las Vegas too.

This summer Austin and Manny went back to Cuba (this time with the ex-Georgetown coach and his two sons).  Again they had a blast and this time it was more of a tourist like trip.

Of course the big event in 2011 was Brandon and Sophia getting married in California in Aug.  It was a beautiful wedding in LaJolla, California.  About 10 of Brandon’s MIT bball players flew across the country and many of Sophia’s gymnastic friends too.  We did play the traditional Suarez basketball game before the wedding.  The church was glorious overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Father John from Boston flew in for the ceremony. The reception was a lot of fun and the newlyweds were truly radiant.

This Fall Austin and Manny along with two alums Russ and Richie won the Berkeley Open golf tournament.  They shot an 11 under par, 61.  They have their names etched onto the Merluzzi trophy.

Kathy still works for Tampa General (she took a second trip to Colorado and loves it there) and Manny is at Berkeley.  Berkeley celebrating 50 years and Manny being there for 34 of them.

Love, Kathy, Manny, Austin, Brandon and Sophia